Unlikely Allies
by Taisa
Summary: Queen Thayet's maid learns her true place in Tortall, as Zahir learns to respect women. I apologize for the horrid typing, but I am stuck working off a computer with a very basic web browser and doing all my typing on notepad. So if there are mistakes, ch


Disclaimer: as usual, no one here is mine, except Aiden and her steed Phar, so don't sue!  
  
  
"He hit you, didn't he?" Queen Thayet asked her maid. Aidan nodded, eyes filled with tears. She had managed to hide most of her bruises from her mistress but Thayet was no fool. "That horrid little squire," she shook her head.  
  
It wasn't the King who hit, pushed and yelled at, it was the King's squire, Zahir ibn Alhaz. The Bazhir had no respect for women, and Aidan was too scared to teach him some.  
  
"My papa taught me some knife and staff fightin' before he died," Aidan told Thayet, "But Your Highness could probably teach me much more."  
  
Thayet smiled. "You ahve dome well by me-been a seamstress, cook, cleaner and spy. The LEAST I can do is protect you from Zahir."  
  
"But won't I get in trouble, my lady?" Aidan asked nervously as excitement built up in her body. She WANTED to fight, and teach that Bazhir a lesson.  
  
"You are MY maid. If someone hits you without my permission, you may defend yourself. Now let's get started."  
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Aiden had been taught magic by her father and fighting by her mother. Danielle Baker was a Shang Warrior, the Sparrowhawk, and was killed defending the small town in which they lived. Aidan's Gift had kept her from training, but her mother set up a rigorus schedule for her daughter. Aiden had only been 7 when the Sparrowhawk died. Her father passed away a year later, when some poisened his drink. They did not like mages around. Aiden had fled, found by a knight, and brought to Corus. She had worked as a maid with many Lords and Ladies, but after King Jonathan had caught her being beaten in the palace courtyard, she was rescued and became the Queen's maid.   
  
"I am forever grateful to my lady," she explained to Salma. The woman grinned.  
  
"She tells me you are learning self-defense against that horrid Bazhir. Don't they have any respect for the women who cook, clean and protect them?" Slama snorted. "One of these days I wish the Gods would remove women from this world for a day. THEN let's see how the men would survive."  
  
Aiden laughed. The bell rung. "Oh, I must get back for mytraining." She ran the halls and was almsot to the Queen's chambers where she was stopped.  
  
"It is the little maid," a voice sneered. "With no respect for her betters." He spun her around and looked at her. She screamed and kicked, punching him soundly. Zahir released his hold as he howled, clutching his arm that now held boot marks. She gasped as she made it into the chambers giddy.  
  
"What caused your lateness?" Thayet asked. "Zahir?"  
  
"Who now has a bootmark on his arm, milady!" Aidan had tears sreaing down her tanned face. Looking into the mirror she saw her reddish brown hair in tangles, her grey eyes bright. Thayet joined in with her laughing, but her eyes grew pale.  
  
"Jon refuses to see his squire as abusing you," Thayet told her now livid maid. "He does not deny that someone is abusing you, but..." she trailed off.  
  
Aidan's eyes filled with tears. "He thinks I'm lying?" Those tears now turned to tears of anger as she paced, wanting to hit someone, ANYONE. Thayet rested a hand on her shoulder.  
  
"Why don't you go take a ride on Phar?" Phar was a gelding that had injured himself, his old owner a knight. Sacherell negotiated giving the horse to Aidan after she spent months trying to heal him. He was as good as new, but Sacherell feared for his safety on the battlefield or long quests.  
  
Aidan managed a weak smile. "Thank you, milady," she replied. Thayet handed her a few nobles.   
  
"Those boots of yours are getting worn. I insist you have a pair fitted in town. Have them delivered here, under my name." Thayet wrote up a quick note fort the tanner. "And after you egt back, I suggest seeing the Wildcat. I think you have learned all I can teach you."  
  
  
~~Next Chapter~~ 


End file.
